Automatic hood-clamp



G. G. MARX.

AUTOMATIC HOOD CLAMP- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1920.

Patented July 26, 1921;

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE GUSTAV MARX, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC HOOD-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 26, 1921.

Application filed February 13, 1920. Serial No. 358,505.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, nonen G. MARX, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan,have invented a new and Improved Automatic Hood-Clamp, of whichthe'following is a specification.

My invention has special referenceto devices that are particularlydesigned for clamping automobile hoods secure upon the bed frame andprimarily my invention has for its object to provide a clamping deviceof the general character stated, of a simple, compact and inexpensiveconstruction in which the parts are so assembled and coop erativelyconnected whereby, when shifted for holding the hood down onto the bedframe, they automatically assume an interlocked position without the aidof special spring devices incident in the use of other hood clampdevices heretofore provided.

Another object of my invention is to provide a springless clamp devicefor holding down automobile hoods and other like closures, that can beexpeditiously and con veniently tripped to the unlocked position forreleasing the hood and as readily' restored to their interlockedengagement for securing the hood in place and which may be convenientlyapplied to any of the modern types of automobile hoods and frameswithout in any manner changing their present structure. I

With the above objects in view and whic will become more apparent whenthe detail arrangement of parts are better understood from the followingdescription, the specific features thereof are pointed out in theappended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:E

Figure l is a perspective view of my construction of hood clamp, so muchof a hood and the bed frame, upon which it rests, being shown as isnecessary to illustrate the practical application of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my improved hood clamp, the parts beingat their interlocked position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof, the parts being shown at theirinterlocked position, in full lines, and at the released or unlockedposition in dotted lines.

In the practical application of my invention, a bail-like member 1 isbolted or otherwise made fast to the hood 2, at a suitable point nearthe lower edge thereof, and a like bail member 3 is bolted to the top ofthe bed frame'30 adjacent thepoint where the lower'edge of the hoodrests, when placed at the closed position.

The said bail members 1 and 3 are relatively projected at right anglesto one another and as best shown in Fig. 3. v

The body of my improved clamp device comprises essentially but threeparts, an upper link 4:, which includes a flatportion' 40that is mergedat the upper end with a loop 41 transversely disposed with respect tothe part 40 and which, when the clamp isfitted on the hood is pivotallysecured within the bail'member 1 before the latter is bolted orotherwise made fast to the hood.

5 designates, what I term, the bottom link, and which includes an upperflat portion 50 that is held in parallelism with the portion 40 of theupperlink 4, the purpose of which will presently appear.

At the lower end, the bottom link terminates in a cross head 52 that isformed with a clamping claw 53 whose function is to engage with the bailmember 3, when the parts are adjusted to the locked position, as isclearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

6 designates an intermediate link that constitutes the locking andunlocking lever. This link 6 is also a flat member and, in practice, hasits upper end fitted flatwise between the adjacent lower and upper endsof the two links 4 and 5.

The upper end of the link 6 is pivoted, by a rivet connection to theupper end of the link 5 and the lower end of the upper link 4 ispivotally joined by a rivet connection 10 with the link 6, the twopivotal connections of the upper and lower links with the intermediatelocking and unlocking link 6 being such that, when the said link 6 isswung inwardly, see the arrow w, the strain on the clamp along thebroken line 0 tends to hold the claw 53 tightly interlocked with thelower bail 3. v

To hold the link 6 from passing too far inwardly, in the direction ofthe arrow as, it has a lateral hook-shaped heel 62 that closes over andengages the outer edge of the lower link 5 and for effecting convenientand expeditious movement of the link 6 to either the looking orreleasing position, its lower end is formed with a finger piece 65, asshown.

By reason of forming the several. links 4, 5 and 6 and connecting them,as stated, and providing for pivotally joining the upper link to thehood bail 1 and the lower link with a claw for catching onto the lowerbail 3, the operation of locking the claw in place can be almostinstantly effected by simply pushing. the parts inwardly in thedirection of the arrow 00, such movement tending to cause the severallinks to become automatically interlocked against loose play by reasonof the peculiar arrangement of the lock joint connections, it beingunderstood that by gripping the finger piece 65 and applying suflicientpull, see arrow 2, to break the lock joint, the parts can be readilyswung out to the released position shown in dotted lines on Fig. 3. I

While I have illustrated and described my clamp connection as especiallydesigned for holding down automobile hoods, it is obvious that it may beas readily utilized for securing other parts of automobiles or othermembers that need be relatively fixedly attached to each other, attimes. 7

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings,the complete construction, the manner of its use and the advantages ofmy invention will be readily understood by those familiar with the useof hood securing means.

What I claim is: j I I 1. In combination with the frame bail and thehood bail of an automobile; of a toggle link and lever connectioncarried by the hood bail and comprising a' link relatively permanentlypivotally connected to the hood bail, a toggle lever pivoted to saidlink, a second link pivoted to the toggle lever and having a hook toremovably engage the frame bail, said toggle lever having a stop adaptedto engage said hook link when the parts are in the holdingposition,substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with the frame and the hood of an automobile, and ahood bail secured to the vertical wall of the hood and a frame bailsecured to the top of the frame; a toggle link and lever connectioncomprising a fiat link having an eye hinged to one of said bails, a fiattoggle lever hinged to said link, a second flat link hinged to saidtoggle lever and having a hook to engage the other bail, said togglelever having a finger piece and a stop, the latter adapted to engagesaid hook link when the parts are in the securing position, said linksand said lever adapted to lie with their adjacent flat surfaces in closeproximity substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE GUSTAV MARX.

M. val

